Physical Therapist Schools | Get Your Physical Therapy Degree – Piney Flats TN

How to Select a Physical Therapist School near Piney Flats 37686

Piney Flats TN physical therapy school student with volunteerReceiving a physical therapy degree near Piney Flats TN is a critical first step to launching a rewarding career in the healthcare field. Physical therapists (PT) help patients who have been incapacitated as a result of illness or injury gain back mobility and function. But before they can practice and work with the rehabilitation of patients, they must obtain the necessary training and education. A PT must also be licensed in every state, a large number mandating that the licensee hold a physical therapy degree from an accredited school. So before enrolling in a physical therapy school, it’s important to investigate those you are thinking about to make certain they will supply a superior education and comply with your state’s licensing criteria. What you do not want to do is select a school just because it happens to be the nearest to your residence or it has cheapest tuition. There are other significant qualifications that need to be evaluated in addition to location and cost. But before we talk about what those qualifications are and what questions you should ask, we’ll cover what a physical therapist does and the options for education.

What is a Physical Therapist?

Piney Flats TN physical therapist helping patient walkPhysical therapists practice in a variety of locations, including Piney Flats TN private practices, hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehab centers and health clubs. What the facilities all share in common is that they are equipped for diagnosing and rehabilitating patients. As previously mentioned, physical therapists help people that are experiencing a lack of mobility and frequently pain due to illness or injury. After patient diagnosis, they design a course of treatment to address the mobility problems and reduce or eliminate any pain. They also endeavor to stop any advancement of the disability. Although the causes of disability necessitating physical therapy are abundant, they include:

  • Osteoporosis and Arthritis
  • Car or motor cycle accidents
  • Strokes.
  • Heart attacks.
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
  • Burn injuries.
  • Knee Replacement.
  • Fibromyalgia.
  • Multiple Sclerosis.

Licensed physical therapists work in close affiliation with other Piney Flats TN health specialists, including chiropractors, physicians, dentists and nurses. They can also oversee one or more physical therapy assistants who work for them assisting with diagnosing and treating their patients. Something to take note of for anyone thinking about getting into the physical therapy profession, it is quite physically demanding. Physical therapists routinely lift heavy equipment as well as patients, and kneel, crouch and stand for prolonged periods of time on a daily basis.

Physical Therapist Degrees Offered

Piney Flats TN physical therapist applying acupuncture to patientThere are three physical therapy degree options available for students to pursue at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Of these choices, the one degree that is attainable to become a physical therapist is the doctorate. Undergraduate degrees target either preparing students to become a physical therapy assistant (PTA) or prepping them to progress to the doctoral level. Below are brief descriptions of degrees that are available in the Piney Flats TN area:

  • Associate Degrees educate students to be physical therapy assistants, or can be the first step toward earning a more advanced degree. Candidates must have a high school diploma or GED to qualify for enrollment. The degrees are most often made available by community or junior colleges, and take about 2 years to complete. An internship or other form of clinical training is usually a component of the course of study.
  • Bachelor’s Degrees are created as pre-physical therapist training to ready students to move up to the doctoral level. Although they are not required to be eligible for the doctoral program, they are an essential first step to becoming a PT. Similar to the majority of bachelor’s degrees, they normally take four years to finish and commonly include an internship program of at least 500 hours.
  • Doctorate Degrees are a requirement if you want to become a practicing licensed physical therapist. The degree program also must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). In addition to the bachelor’s degree, the doctoral takes 3 years to finish, making the overall commitment 7 years in the majority of cases. Clinical or practical training is an important component in addition to the extensive lab and classroom instruction. Consequently the fulfillment of an internship is required, not solely for graduation but in several states for licensing as well.

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) has taken the place of the Master’s of Physical Therapy (MPT), which has been eliminated and is no longer attainable in the United States. A number of practicing physical therapists having a master’s or even a bachelor’s degree were “grandfathered” in before the existing licensing requirement for a doctorate was implemented.

Physical Therapist Schools Online

woman attending physical therapy school online in Piney Flats TNAlthough not as common as the on-campus alternatives, there are some accredited online physical therapy programs offered, even more at the graduate level. Because of the hands-on structure of the training, internships and clinical lab work are integrated with the online classes. This requires that the student live near the college campus or in proximity of a sponsored internship. However, the online part of the program may be accessed within the convenience and comfort of the student’s Piney Flats TN residence. Online programs are not only partially more accessible, but in a number of cases more affordable. Tuition can be somewhat lower than comparable on-campus alternatives, and costs for commuting are reduced. And many of the online schools are accredited by the CAPTE, ensuring a quality education. These advantages may make the online option the ideal choice for those students that are dedicated enough to attend classes at home.

Questions to Ask Physical Therapist Schools

By now you probably have made a decision concerning some of your preliminary queries, like the kind of physical therapy degree you would like to attain, where you want to attend classes, and how much you can afford to invest in your education. But because there are so many PT colleges within the Piney Flats TN area and throughout Tennessee, you’ll need to look into other qualifications also in order to further reduce your list of school choices. Moreover, you want to be sure that you enroll in the school that is ideal for you. That’s the reason we have collected a list of important questions that you need to ask the physical therapy programs you are considering. Ask all of the competing schools these questions before making an ultimate selection.

Is the Physical Therapy College Accredited?  Ask if the schools you are looking at have earned accreditation from a regional or a national agency. As earlier mentioned, if you are pursuing a doctoral degree the program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). If you choose an online program, it can also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council. It’s essential that both the physical therapist program and school you enroll in are accredited, not just the school. Also, check that the accreditation is from a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. In addition to guaranteeing that you receive a quality education, accreditation may be required for state licensing as well as for securing student loans or financial aid.

What is the College’s Standing? Along with accreditation, it’s imperative that the college and program you select have exceptional reputations within the physical therapist profession. There are several ways you can research a PT program’s reputation, beginning with asking for references from employers that they refer their students to. You may also check online reviews and rating services and ask the accrediting agencies for their reviews also. Call some Piney Flats TN physical therapy clinics or other healthcare facilities that you may be interested in working for and ask if they can provide any insight about your school options. It may also be prudent to check with the Tennessee Attorney General and school licensing authority to see if any complaints have been filed against the colleges.

What is the Program’s Job Placement Percentage? There are a couple of significant statistics that you need to know about each of the physical therapy schools you are reviewing. One is their graduation rate. A low rate may mean that students left because of displeasure with the program, the teachers, or both. After the students have graduated, how many of them are being placed in jobs with the support of the school’s job placement program, particularly in the Piney Flats TN area? If a college has a higher job placement rate, it suggests that its reputation within the medical care community is good or even exceptional. It also verifies that the school has a large network of contacts to help students gain internships or jobs after graduation.

Does the School Prepare You For Licensing Requirements? It’s imperative that the program you select provides both superior training and a course of study that supports the licensing criteria for Tennessee or the state where you will be practicing. In each state a passing score is needed on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in addition to a degree from an accredited physical therapist school. While licensing requirements vary state by state for PTA and PT graduates, some states require a minimum number of clinical hours be completed as well as passing scores on supplemental tests.

Are Internships Offered? Ask if the physical therapy schools you are reviewing have relationships with Piney Flats TN clinics or hospitals for internship programs. Not only are internships a terrific means to receive practical training in a clinical setting, they are additionally a requirement for most PT programs and state licensing. As a secondary benefit, they can help graduates and students form professional connections in the Piney Flats healthcare community and assist with job placement once licensed.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the sort of person that prefers to sit way in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably prefer a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the physical therapy colleges you are considering what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with several of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the physical therapist college they choose will need to be within driving distance of their Piney Flats TN residence. Students who have chosen to attend online classes obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to consider is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

Is Financial Support Provided? Most DPT colleges offer some type of financial support to their prospective students. Ask if the schools you are examining have a financial assistance office and find out what type of help is obtainable. At a minimum they should help in securing a student loan or any grants you may qualify for. A number of physical therapist colleges offer scholarships, while others provide work programs. So before you eliminate a college because the tuition is beyond your budget, learn what financial assistance might be available.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the physical therapy program you ultimately choose can furnish the class schedule you need. This is particularly important if you decide to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Piney Flats TN area, make certain that they are available. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, verify if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of work, illness or family obligations.

Earning Your Physical Therapy Degree near Piney Flats Tennessee?

If you are planning on attending a Physical Therapy School in the Piney Flats TN area, the following information may prove to be both interesting and educational regarding the location of your future Alma Mater.

Piney Flats, Tennessee

Piney Flats is an unincorporated community in Sullivan County in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is part of the Kingsport–Bristol (TN)–Bristol (VA) Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is a component of the Johnson City–Kingsport–Bristol, TN-VA Combined Statistical Area – commonly known as the "Tri-Cities" region. Some areas of Piney Flats along U.S. Route 11E have been annexed by Johnson City (south of the Allison Road and Piney Flats Road intersection) and Bluff City north of the intersection and areas along Allison Road & Piney Flats Road.

How Piney Flats got its name - Oliver Taylor in his book "Historic Sullivan" describes the different types of hunters who roamed the area. There were the "transient hunters" who hunted in groups, the "still hunters" who hunted alone, the "round-up hunters", and "fire hunters". "The hunts were especially directed against wolves. Sometimes more than one hundred men would engage in the round-up. They would encircle a large boundary of land and drive the animals toward the center, gradually closing in upon them and giving but little chance of escape. In this way Piney Flats got its name. For a long time that section was infested with packs of vicious and destructive wolves – which were made more bold by the veneration of the Indians for them – and the neighborhood hunters, agreeing upon a "meet," would name "the flats."

Piney Flats has an elementary and middle school named "Mary Hughes School." The school operates under the Sullivan County Board of Education and educates students from kindergarten to eighth grade. Upon completion at Mary Hughes, students will enter high school at Sullivan East High School.

Pick the Best Physical Therapy Degree Program near Piney Flats TN

Deciding on the right physical therapist program is a necessary initial decision you must make to start a gratifying career in the health care field. As we have discussed in this article, the DPT or PT degree program and school you pick should both have outstanding reputations and be accredited. However there are additional relevant questions that you should ask regarding your college of choice as well. As you begin your search for a physical therapy college, bear in mind that many variables will guide you to your final decision. You might decide to visit each of the campuses to see their facilities and speak to active DPT students. While there, ask yourself this important question: will this school help me reach my goal of becoming a licensed practicing physical therapist? By adhering to our list of additional questions, you will be able to narrow down the options so you can make the best choice. And with the proper training and education, you can fulfill your dream of becoming a practicing physical therapist in Piney Flats TN.

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